


heart stopper

by stardusting



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Gen, Getting Together, Male-Female Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-28
Updated: 2016-03-28
Packaged: 2018-05-29 15:25:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6381868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardusting/pseuds/stardusting
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>in which nami is smitten and usopp is a great friend that helps a new relationship form.</p>
            </blockquote>





	heart stopper

Nami feels her soda go down the wrong pipe, quickly removes the straw from her mouth, and coughs into the curl of her hand. It takes a few less than dainty hacks and repeated hits to her chest to ensure she doesn’t choke. The sensation that’s leftover is a dull burn in her throat that she quells with another sip of her drink, dangerous she knows, but there’s nothing else available. It actually worsens the burn and she frowns, but it’s her own fault this time.

She isn’t one for the flair of dramatics, that’s usually something she leaves to Sanji and Usopp, because out of their ragtag group they do it the best and the most often. But this time she was caught off guard by a swooping feeling in her stomach like whenever she misses a step on the stairs, except right now she’s just sitting down. This is a feeling that rarely happens, but she doesn’t have it in herself to be upset about it, only confused and maybe a little enthralled all at once.

Eyes had been roaming the surrounding shops when they had settled on someone so particularly lovely that it had caused that chain reaction. Nami has to do a double take to make sure she wasn’t imagining things, but not even her own creative mind could make up a girl that beautiful. How could someone look so pretty sitting by themselves at a table in the middle of a disgusting and loud food court, for all intents and purposes completely out of place? That girl looked like she should have been in a palace, probably, or at the very least sitting in some high end restaurant all the way on the other side of town. These are honest thoughts that flutter through Nami’s head and that’s the scariest part about all this.

(That and it sounds dangerously close to something Sanji would say and it makes it curl her nose slightly because God, it really is disgustingly cheesy and cringe worthy. How he can come up with things like that off the top of his head and actually have the nerve to let the words leave his mouth is beyond her.)

This matter is urgent, a little mundane in the grand scheme of things, but Nami is the type of girl that never lets an opportunity pass her by if she can help. It’d behoove her to at least try or end up possibly facing regret that could gnaw at her days after the fact. She doesn’t normally let thoughts of possible regrets cloud her mind, but neither does she get swooping feelings from strangers so suddenly. She refuses to let this encounter be another one of those “if only” stories she’s heard so much in her lifetime.

“Hey, Usopp.” She starts as nonchalantly as she can, voice just loud enough to be heard above the low chatter of the food court. When an answer isn’t immediate, she glances at her companion from the periphery of her vision and slaps him on the arm for his inattentiveness.

He huffs and looks up from his sketchbook, mildly offended, but nothing beyond that. “Yes?” An eyebrow is raised and his look is one of expecting, though he doesn’t exactly know what to expect when Nami involved despite years of knowing her. That’s part of the beauty of their friendship.

She straightens her posture and looks down at her lacquer coated nails before breathing deep and exhaling her words with her breath. “Okay, so don’t laugh.”

Usopp rolls his eyes, the words, _‘Like I would,_ ' etched clearly in his expression, but Nami purses her lips just the same. She doesn’t remember the last time she’s felt like this, let alone told someone about it, and sudden feelings have always made her wary and a little embarrassed. Honestly, she’d rather chew her arm off than verbally admit that a single look at a stranger has her stomach doing flips, but it’s Usopp who knows her the best out of anyone, besides her own sister; it’d be easy for him to pick up on her behavior if it’s a little too out of the ordinary.

She flicks her hair over her shoulder, lets it block a part of her face so the staring doesn’t become obvious. “You see that girl over there?” Her voice is a whisper as she scoots her chair closer.

Usopp frowns, leans his head down and matches her volume, not really knowing why he’s doing it other than that Nami wouldn’t have done it herself without a reason. “That’s not very helpful. This place is full of girls.”

“The one with the long blue hair,” She specifies, taps her fingertips against her knees. “And don’t make it obvious when you’re looking."

It takes him a short few seconds to find who she’s talking about and when does he lets out a noise that’s part fascination and part understanding. “She is cute.” He agrees, positions himself so their heads are practically pressed together and doesn’t care that it might look suspicious to any passerby.

Nami, for all her stubbornness about not wanting to admit it, can’t keep her lips from curving upward in a small smile. She hadn’t actually said anything; Usopp had figured it out within two seconds all on his own and it’s the reason why she calls him her smartest friend on days when she’s feeling particularly proud of him.

“So, are you gonna ask her for her name and number?” It’s a bit exciting being the first to witness Nami smitten over a girl they don’t even know. He feels almost like a parent, a touch proud and all sorts of fond.

She shakes her head, resting her elbow on her knee and cheek in her open palm. “I can’t just do that. I mean, I would like to. She is really cute, but that’s what pushy guys do and I don’t want to seem pushy.”

That is a good point. Usopp contemplates their options, which aren’t a lot since he isn’t exactly a prime choice when it comes to advice like this. No one in their immediate friend group is, really. “Well, you’re good with people. How about you politely go talk to her or something? Sometimes it’s good to go with the simple route.”

“True, but…” She trails off, busies herself with the ends of her hair. There’s hesitation in her actions, something that’s rarely seen in someone so brusque and steadfast.

“Wait…” It can’t be, can it? “Are you nervous?” He doesn’t mean to, but his voice hitches a pitch and he can’t help the smile that stretches on his face. His best friend is so damn cute.

She looks affronted by the question, lips pursed into a near pout and eyes narrowed, but there’s no mistaking the pink on her cheeks. There’s no way she can deny it, not to Usopp anyway.

He bites the inside of his cheek, concealing a laugh that would probably only get him another hit on the arm. Usopp does give her the most serious look her can muster at the moment, places his hands on her shoulders and stares her dead in the eyes.

“You are a great and wonderful person.” He starts and is given a look of confusion in return, but he continues anyway. “You are funny and smart and you are capable of going over there and talking to that girl. I’m not saying you should immediately ask her on a date, but like, talk to her, get to know her, maybe you two can strike up a friendship. If you find out you really like her then goddammit you deserve to date her because you deserve a cute girlfriend more than anyone I know.”

There’s silence for a few seconds before Nami grins and then lets out a laugh, hand covering her mouth and body tilting forward until her forehead pushes against his broad shoulder. All those bottled up and stupid nerves are released because she can’t believe this, how honest and wonderful this guy is.

She pops back up once she’s calmed, dabs at the tears that have collected at the corner of her eyes, and lets out a relieved sigh. “Thanks, I needed that.”

“So you’ll go?” Because that was the whole point of that and sometimes it’s nice to hear the honest truth.

“Yeah, I’ll go at least say hi before she leaves, maybe get her name.” She stands up from her chair and smooths out her clothes, confidence flooding back. It’s a nice feeling. “How do I look?”

Usopp looks her over, false seriousness because he already knows the answer but likes to put on a show. “You look like you always do, extremely good.” He nods, waves her off not unkindly. “Now, go.”

She reaches over, muses his hair and messes up his ponytail, but she only gets batted away playfully for her mischief. “I’ll text you how it goes, but feel free to leave if you want. I can get someone else to pick me up later.”

“I’ll think about it.” He nods and watches as she turns on her heels and walks forward, her hair swaying and heels audible on the linoleum floor. He notes that a few heads turn to look at her as she passes because Nami is just that type of girl, able to command attention anywhere she goes.

It’s in that moment that he feels the rush of pride and fondness again, wishes her the best of luck even though she won’t need it because Nami is great without it. He counts himself as one of the luckiest people to know her and hopes the stranger, whoever she is, feels that way someday too.


End file.
